1912 Emanuele Egildo Model B Concert Mandolin

Egildo Emanuele (1866-1955) was said to have been an Italian disciple of Luigi Embergher. Unlike the latter, he would have carried out his entire career as a luthier in France from the beginning of the 20th century, with the exception of his presumed apprenticeship in Rome. Throughout his production, from 1899 to the late 1940s, Emanuele is said to have shown extensive knowledge of Embergher's instruments as well as his theoretical research.

Although he uses the model of his instruments, he would seek to develop a more concise range, combining quality and affordable prices. His hand, while different from Embergher's, is said to reflect a powerful personality that comes through in all of his instruments, including mandolins, bandurrias and guitars.

We also note that he was very familiar with the great Roman masters of the mandolin such as De Santis or Maldura, from whom he adopted the hollowed-out key system and its patented bridges. 

Emanuele would thus have chosen to offer instruments offering more than Embergher at a lower price by making certain concessions on decorations and finishes, often less precise, but with a superior selection of wood for entry-level and intermediate instruments. It is for this reason that he would be nicknamed “the French Embergher”.

Also cited in the latest work on the French mandolin written by the Sinier de Ridder couple, Emanuele Egildo's instruments do not fail to be complimented once again.

Here is a model B with 18 Rosewood ribs and a very beautiful spruce top with a parchment-style tortoiseshell top.

This model also features a hollowed-out fingerboard as well as Maldura's patented bridge. An obvious sign of Emanuele's desire to seek the best sound for his mandolins.

Technical characteristics :

• Top: Spruce
• Back: 18 rib rosewood
• Neck: Maple
• Fingerboard: Ebony
• Width at nut: 26 mm
• Radius: Roman
• Frets: 24 frets (+1 zero fret)
• Scale: 330 mm
• Profile: Romain
• Pickguard: Parchment-shaped scale
• Country of manufacture: France
• Year: 1912 (No. 240)
• Finish: Natural (varnished rosewood finish handle)
• Decorations: Headstock veneered in ebony / Maple-ebony bindings on the top edge and on the soundhole / Rosette inlaid with white mother-of-pearl wave patterns / White mother-of-pearl fingerboard markers
• Details: Normal signs of wear and dings given its age / Slight sagging at the concert key, also normal given the tension and time, which has no impact on the sound or playability / Good condition / Delivered without cover

Like all of our instruments, this mandolin is fully restored, tuned and fully playable.

It also has very pleasant playing comfort, with a very comfortable action.

Assembled with Fisoma Supersolo Light flat wound strings made by Lenzner, this mandolin has a balanced sound, with sublime timbre, beautiful harmonics, very good sustain and very good projection!